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Compare BYOD Plans in British Columbia

You and your phone have been through a lot together. If it’s still in good working condition and you don’t want to part with it once your contract is up, there’s no reason to. In fact, you could save a lot of money by opting into a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) plan in British Columbia, since you won’t be paying off your phone on your monthly bills.

Compare Postpaid BYOD Plans in BC

Before we jump into comparing the best BYOD plans in British Columbia, let’s talk about what a BYOD postpaid plan is. On a postpaid BYOD plan, you’ll bring your own phone to a carrier and sign a contract that allots you a certain amount of talk, text, and data every month for two years. While BYOD postpaid plans typically cost more than BYOD prepaid plans, they also include a lot more talk, text, and data—not to mention, they’re more affordable than traditional postpaid plans since you aren’t paying off the price of your phone each month. Moreover, since you pay for your service at the end of each month, signing up for a postpaid plan requires a credit check, whereas going with a prepaid plan does not.

Since they come with the most talk, text, and data, at a cheaper price than traditional postpaid plans, BYOD postpaid plans are perfect for heavy phone users who want to save some money without sacrificing value.

BYOD Postpaid Plans by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS

As the leaders of the telecommunications industry, the Big Three (Bell, Rogers, and TELUS) offer the most features for BYOD postpaid plans in British Columbia. The most popular BYOD postpaid plans are unlimited plans, which include unlimited talk and text and anywhere from 10GB to 50GB of high-speed data. While your speeds will be throttled if you hit your monthly data limit, you will still technically be given access to unlimited data by any of these carriers.

While Bell, Rogers, and TELUS offer more data on their BYOD postpaid plans than mid-tier carriers, they also come with higher price tags—which is why it’s only worth signing up for one of these plans if you know you need that much data. If you spend the majority of time on your phone streaming music and videos, going with an unlimited plan from one of these carriers may be your best option.

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Top-tier carriers also have the widest selection of devices. In case you do decide you want a new phone later on, you’ll be able to choose from the latest releases to older, budget-friendly options.

BYOD Postpaid Plans by Mid-Tier Carriers

While Fido, Koodo Mobile, and Virgin Mobile may not offer as much data as the Big Three, they do offer some of the most versatile BYOD postpaid plans—talk and text can range from none or pay-per-use to unlimited. The most data available on a plan from any of these carriers is 10GB, which is still a decent amount. If you’re not consuming enough data to warrant choosing plan with a top-tier carrier, going with a mid-tier carrier can save you a lot of money in the long run.

You may have noticed that Freedom Mobile wasn’t mentioned above, and that’s for good reason—although Freedom Mobile offers the most data on their unlimited plans, their network coverage is so limited that opting into a plan with them won’t be worth it. Instead, consider going with one of the other three mid-tier mobile carriers in BC.

Compare Prepaid BYOD Plans in BC

BYOD prepaid plans are month-to-month, and since you’re not committing to a contract, you won’t have to undergo a credit check. While plans expire every 30 days and have to be renewed at the beginning of each month, most carriers have auto-renewal options available. Most BYOD prepaid plans have limited talk, text, and data compared to BYOD postpaid plans.

BYOD prepaid plans are perfect for people who are on a budget or don’t rely heavily on their phone. Children, students, and seniors are most likely to benefit from prepaid plans, since it gives them enough of what they need from a plan without breaking the bank.

BYOD Prepaid Plans by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS

BYOD prepaid plans by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS are much cheaper than their BYOD postpaid plans. Bell currently offers the cheapest prepaid plan, which gives you 15 minutes of talk and pay-per-use text. While Rogers’ and TELUS’ cheapest plans are slightly more expensive, they include a more reasonable 50 minutes and 50 messages. While the cheapest BYOD prepaid plans don’t include any data, some prepaid plans can include as much as 3GB. If 3GB isn’t enough for you, however, it doesn’t mean you have to opt for a postpaid plan; mid-tier carriers offer BYOD prepaid plans with up to 10GB.

BYOD Prepaid Plans: Fido, Koodo Mobile, and Virgin Mobile

Just like with their BYOD postpaid plans, BYOD prepaid plans by mid-tier carriers offer the most variety. Talk and text can range from none or pay-per-use to unlimited, while data can be purchased in increments from pay-per-use to 10GB.

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Koodo Mobile and Virgin Mobile’s 10GB BYOD prepaid plans cost just $10/month more than a 3GB plan with TELUS or Bell.

Budget-Friendly BYOD Prepaid Plans

Budget-friendly carriers—like Chatr, Lucky Mobile, and Public Mobile—only offer prepaid plans in British Columbia. They also run on a 3G network, while top- and mid-tier carriers use LTE as their wireless standard. The cheapest available plan by any carrier with talk and text is sold by PC Mobile for $10/month, and it includes 50 Canada-wide minutes and 50 international messages. For only $5 more per month, you can upgrade to unlimited minutes.

Plans with data are usually more expensive and can range from 100MB to 8.5GB, depending on the carrier. If you want to get the most data for the lowest price possible, you’ll want to go with Chatr or Lucky Mobile; for $50/month, you’ll get unlimited nationwide talk and international text, plus 8GB of data.

Which Carrier Has the Best Coverage in British Columbia?

While every cell phone provider in British Columbia offers BYOD plans, not all carriers offer equal coverage. To get the most out of your BYOD plan, you’ll want to go with a carrier that has excellent coverage in British Columbia and anywhere else you might frequent. Here, we’ve categorized the carriers based on how dependable their networks are in BC.

The Best Coverage

  • Bell
  • TELUS
  • Koodo Mobile
  • Virgin Mobile
  • Public Mobile
  • Lucky Mobile
  • PC Mobile

Good Coverage

  • Rogers
  • Fido
  • Chatr
  • Cityfone
  • SimplyConnect
  • 7-Eleven SpeakOut
  • Petro-Canada Mobile

Minimum Coverage

  • Freedom Mobile

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